SMU, MFA 2014
archival inkjet prints, soap, fragrance, 2014, dimensions vary
In making soap casts from the durian fruit, I question the idea of multiplicity and making physical translations of an object from one form to another. The private action of washing is ritualized, and cleansing is partial, as the unique scent of the fruit lingers with the participant. The sensorial experience of the fruit is always mediated by the artist—either through video, touch, smell or the lack of sound. The viewer is denied the ultimate utility of the fruit, which is to be eaten. The experience is further mediated by other participants who have worn away the soap through time and use. Bodies touch each other through the recycled water, and the dissolution of skin, soap, water, scent and meaning are transformed into different states, just as the fruit has been.
A Daimler Company
